Archive for 2012
ECHO NiNER Does It Again
Saturday, September 15th, 2012SOTech Mourns the Loss of Darrell Rolen
Saturday, September 15th, 2012
The SOTECH and VIPER / Veterans Industry Program for Employment Reintegration family mourn the tragic and sudden loss of one of their leaders and greatest inspirations, Darrell Rolen. After experiencing severe PTSD from surviving two shipboard fires, Darrell lived 20 years homeless on the streets of Los Angeles, including 5 years living under a bridge next to the Good Year blimp park and near the SOTech plant. While in treatment at the WLA VA hospital, Darrell joined the VIPER program while transitioning from the domiciliary to supported housing and finally showing his strength and vision Darrel achieved his own apartment and car. Not only did Darrell power through his own issues, but he led his fellow vets in the program and inspired them with his tremendous heart. Drawing from his leadership experience as a Navy Boatswain’s Mate, Darrel organized his team to contact California legislators to urge support for the single use plastic bag ban. Darrel was supremely honored to be one of three VIPER vets featured in a recent Los Angeles Times article. In tragic irony, Darrel was quoted in the article saying that his greatest fear while living under the bridge was dying unknown on the street. Darrel’s story was told – first in the Times, and then it was reprinted in Star and Stripes to his brothers. In his last week, Darrel’s face carried a glow of pride. VIPER’s director, Jim Cragg coordinated with Good Year who generously offered to fly Darrell and his team in the blimp above the area where he had lived on the street. On Friday of that week, Darrell proudly presented Jim a report on the legislative phone calls his team had completed when Jim told him of Good Year’s promise. Darrel couldn’t have been prouder, commenting on the wonder of having lived on that street and the chance to fly over it in the blimp. Not having a watch, Darrell said he had marked the beginning and end of his days by watching the blimp take off and later be secured. According to his team mates, Darrell with his new found self esteem intended to confront his abusive girlfriend. At some point between his conversation with Mr. Cragg and 2:45AM, Darrell Rolen was stabbed in the heart and his girlfriend was arrested on the scene by the LA County Sheriff’s Department. In a final testament to the great things that this once homeless man had done, Darrell spent his last month working at SOTECH assembling thousands of IED sensor harnesses that will measure the blast wave affects that cause Traumatic Brain Injury. These harnesses will not only help the thousands of soldiers going downrange wearing them, but the metrics analyzed from these devices will hopefully help treat the thousands of veterans out there who suffered from TBI from the last decade of war. Darrell will be buried in uniform this Saturday, contact SOTECH for details.
2POOD MultiCam Freedom Utility Short v.2.0
Friday, September 14th, 2012Our friends at Kill Cliff made us aware of 2POOD. They make a variety of workout clothing. One of their items that caught our eye is the MultiCam Freedom Utility v.2.0. It’s a training short that integrates NYCO with stretch panels on the sides and crotch. The shorts feature an elasticized waist and are available in Small – 2XLarge.
2pood.myshopify.com/products/multicam-freedom-utility-v-2-0
Chris Costa Announces RockTape as New Syndicate Partner
Friday, September 14th, 2012Chris Costa has announced a new syndicate partner. I’ll certainly say that Costa uses what works. Below is the story of how he learned about RockTape and adopted it. The take away here is that for him, RockTape works but he doesn’t want you using it unless you need it. Otherwise, it would be like hobbling around on crutches when your ankles are fine.
For those that saw me earlier this year I was wearing an ACE wrap on my left arm due to all the shooting and ground work I have been doing this year. I just haven’t had a chance to give my arm a break and there is really no let up in sight. A student that does cross fit showed up in my class recently with this tape on her arm and when I inquired to what it was and did it really work, she wrapped my arm up with this product called RockTape. I, like many others, figured I would just fall victim to a placebo affect and believe that having stretchy tape on my arm was really helping me. I have to say I was dead wrong. My arm normally twitches when I shoot, that twitch was gone and my arm felt almost normal when I was shooting. It gave me support but also increased blood flow that is normally restricted in that area.
RockTape makes many different types based on how aggressive and what environment you may find yourself in, for example water they make a H2O tape. One of the cool things is that this tape lasts for about five days, and yes that means taking a shower with it on. Is RockTape for everyone, NO. Don’t wear it to look cool, wear it if you need it. There are many other applications based on problem areas with the body. Please stop by and check them out.
DBT Announces New DoD Program Director and National Sales Director
Friday, September 14th, 2012Diamondback Tactical has hired Mike Jewell as Director of DoD Programs,. They’ve also promoted Norm MacLeod to the position of National Sales Director for State and Local Law Enforcement.
“We are excited about the value that Mike and Norm bring to our sales team,” says Roland VanSkiver, Vice President of Global Sales for Diamondback Tactical. “They bring a wealth of knowledge, and have a strong passion for serving this industry with hard work and integrity.”
As Director of DoD, Mike Jewell will be responsible for the development and maintenance of new business within the defense and military sectors. Jewell served 11 years in the United States Air Force Security Forces as a military working K-9 handler. He has served in Operation Southern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and an assignment to the USMC 1st FAST and 13th MEU (SOC) in support of Operation Resolute Response. Jewell has also worked as a part of the protective security detachment team for DynCorp in support of the U.S. State Department CIVPOL program in Baghdad, Iraq. Jewell was instrumental in the initial development of Diamondback Tactical’s DoD program as the Military Special Operations Program Manager.
As National Sales Director Norm MacLeod will be instrumental in strengthening Diamondback Tactical’s state and local distribution network for domestic sales, and for providing day-to-day guidance for the state and local sales force. Prior to his promotion as National Sales Director, MacLeod served as the Northeast region account manager for Diamondback Tactical. MacLeod has more than 32 years of experience holding various positions throughout the body armor industry and law enforcement field. Most notable were his contributions as Director of Law Enforcement Sales with Tri-Tech, Inc., special operations for the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, and a highly decorated Petty Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. Macleod served in the Persian, Gulf Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations.
Damage Industries P90 Extended Optic Rail
Friday, September 14th, 2012
Damage Industries has developed a Extended Optic Rail for the FNH P90/PS90. It is a Mil Std 1913 optic rail which makes it possible to mount accessories and illumination devices forward of the receiver while keeping them clear of your peripheral vision/target acquisition and inside the natural firing and manipulation positions. The mount also allows laser aiming modules to be mounted on the same axis as the optic for increased accuracy.
Precision machined in the USA from aluminum billet. Hardcoat anodized to Mil-A-8625 Type III Class 2 specs.
Available in Black & OD Green.
For a limited time, the introductory Price is $99.95 – Regularly priced $109.95
damageusa.com/product/1913-rail-extended-optic-p90ps90
SureFire Revamps Website
Friday, September 14th, 2012
SureFire has not only given their website a makeover but they’ve also added lots of new videos.
Gore Military – FREE
Friday, September 14th, 2012This is the first in a series of articles covering WL Gore’s various technologies and their military applications. While we are all familiar with the popular GORE-TEX brand, many do not know that WL Gore has worked extensively with the military since the mid-1980s to develop specific fabrics for various purposes. In this article we will cover GORE-TEX fabrics used in the Flame Resistant Environmental Ensemble issued to US Army Armored Vehicle and Air Crews.
FREE is a true head-to-toe FR environmental clothing system. It incorporates numerous levels consisting of garments that can be used alone or together, along with FR improved Combat Vehicle Coveralls and Army Aircrew Combat Uniform to face virtually any extreme weather conditions.
GORE-TEX membranes are used in the Extreme Weather Outer Layer Parka and Trouser. It is a breathable 3-layer laminate that combines DuPont’s Nomex fiber face material with a GORE-TEX ePTFE membrane and a Nomex mesh inner fabric. It is printed in the US Army’s Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) or the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (OCP) for operations in Afghanistan where it has been used extensievly. EWOL is the most external layer in the clothing system and combines wet and extreme cold weather protection. It incorporates a fleece liner in order to help regulate temperature. Due to its intended use in vehicles and aircraft is a little bulky for use by dismounted troops.
Based on the success of FREE, ADS has developed Dismounted FREE so that all troops will have access to an FR environmental clothing system. FREE is currently only issued to armored vehicle and air crewmen but the threats affect everyone on an aircraft or in a vehicle. With Afghanistan’s extreme environment, troops are exposed to multiple threats; enemy fire, IEDs and weather. DFREE helps mitigate the effects of two of those.
Due to the difference in mission between mounted and dismounted troops, DFREE more closely mirrors Gen III ECWCS. This accomplishes two things. First, it means that the overall system is slightly lighter because ground troops have to carry it. Additionally, troops already understand how to use the system so new equipment training is kept to a minimum.
Keeping this philosophy in mind, the GORE-TEX level in DFREE more closely mirrors Gen III’s Level 6 than the EWOL level found in the mounted FREE. Rather than a 3-layer laminate DFREE’s Extreme Wet/Cold Weather Level (EW/CW) incorporates a 2-layer fabric with the ePTFE membrane paired with a durable nylon face fabric coated with WL Gore’s Pyrad FR treatment. Look for in-depth coverage of Pyrad here on SSD soon.
The entire FREE system, including the Dismounted variant, is available through ADS Inc – www.ADSinc.com/solutions/clothing-programs/free
